Lifetime Network Rolls Out Full Lineup of 2022 Christmas Movies
Mario Lopez, Rita Moreno, Keshia Knight-Pulliam and more star this holiday season!
In a race to see which network can out-Christmas the other, Lifetime and Hallmark Channel released snippets of their Christmas movie schedules earlier than ever—in March! Lifetime shared the titles and stars of three new movies that will be a part of their 2022 It's a Wonderful Lifetime lineup. They include an eclectic lineup of talent with Patti LaBelle, Brooke Elliott, Cheri Oteri and Mario Lopez. The three films—A New Orleans Noel, A Country Christmas Harmony, and Steppin' Into the Holidays will debut later in the year.
What is It's a Wonderful Lifetime?
It's a Wonderful Lifetime is Lifetime Network's annual holiday movie event which features original winter movie premieres and holiday programming.
When does It's a Wonderful Lifetime begin?
It's a Wonderful Lifetime began on Saturday, Nov. 5
Check out the holiday schedule for It's a Wonderful Lifetime and check back with Parade.com for schedule updates, sneak peeks, and more!
Lifetime Christmas movies 2022
Merry Swissmas
Starring Jodie Sweetin, Mikaela Lily Davies, David PInard, Tim Rozon
Premiered Saturday, Nov. 5 at 8 p.m. ET
Alex (Sweetin) has wonderful memories of Christmas with her best friend Beth (Davies) until Beth started dating Alex’s ex, Jesse (Pinard). Because she has missed the last few Christmases with family due to her demanding job as an architect, Alex is excited to spend the holidays with her mother Caroline (Jane Wheeler), who is opening an inn in Switzerland. Much to her dismay, she learns that Jesse and Beth are also visiting for the Inns’ opening. When Alex meets Liam (Rozon), a single father and the manager of her mother’s inn, Liam attempts to show her all the Christmas traditions and culture of Switzerland and helps Alex open herself up to love and forgiveness this holiday season.
Related: 'Full House' Star Jodie Sweetin's Net Worth in 2022!
Well Suited for Christmas
Starring Mercedes de la Zerda, Franco Lo Presti
Premiered Sunday, Nov. 6 at 8 p.m. ET
Up-and-coming men’s fashion designer, Rachel Rocca (de la Zerda), lands a spot in a competition to design a tuxedo for one of the city’s most eligible bachelors, Brett Stone (Lo Presti), for a Christmas Charity Gala and Auction. As Rachel begins to unravel his well spun public image, she discovers the true reason behind his Christmas charity, and they find themselves falling in love.
Christmas on Mistletoe Lake
Starring Genelle Williams, Corey Sevier
Premiered Thursday, Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. ET
Every Christmas, Reilly Shore (Williams) picks a random spot on the map to take an adventurous trip. This year, that destination is the quaint hamlet of Mistletoe Lake. As she arrives, Reilly discovers that the town’s lone bed & breakfast is full due to the town’s annual Christmas Harbor Festival. When twelve-year-old Emma (Hattie Kragten) invites Reilly to stay on her dad’s boat, she learns that Emma’s dad Raymond Mitchell (Sevier) is selling his boat and can’t participate in the festival. Saddened, Emma enlists Reilly’s help to convince Raymond to enter into the festival so they can have one last perfect Christmas on Mistletoe Lake.
Related: The Full Great American Family Christmas Movie Lineup
The Dog Days of Christmas
Starring Georgia Flood, Ezekial Simat
Premiered Friday, Nov. 11 at 8 p.m. ET
Annie Blake (Flood) is an aid worker who has just finished an international mission and is heading home to Vermont for the holidays. Upon arriving home Annie learns that the local animal shelter is closing. With the help of Dylan (Simat), the local vet and high school nemesis, the two take steps to save their furry friends.
While the movie takes place in the United States, The Dog Days of Christmas was filmed in Australia!
Reindeer Games Homecoming
Starring Sarah Drew, Justin Bruening
Premiered Saturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m. ET
Sarah Drew pulls triple duty on Reindeer Games Homecoming serving as actor, writer and executive producer of the film. In it, MacKenzie Graves (Drew) is a brilliant, competitive, crossword puzzle loving biology teacher in Vermont who recently lost her father, beloved fire chief and the heart of the town’s holiday fundraising tradition “The Reindeer Games.” Every year since his death, she competes with her dad’s former team, a group of colorful retired firefighters, to win the Games and keep his tradition alive. This holiday however, her world is rocked when fading Hollywood star, and Mac’s high school crush, Chase Weston (Bruening), comes home for Christmas to visit his pregnant sister and nephew and is begrudgingly roped into participating in the Games. When the opportunity to compete against her former mega crush arises, Mac is determined to show him up and win the Kris Kringle Cup at all costs. As the competition heats up, so does the spark between Mac and Chase, and Chase soon finds himself eager to not only win the games, but also win her heart as well.
Fun fact: Bruening and Drew played a couple on Grey's Anatomy.
Related: Get Ready for an UPlifting Holiday Season With UPtv's 2022 Christmas Lineup of All-New Movies
Six Degrees of Santa
Starring Kathryn Davis, Steve Lund
Premiered Sunday, Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. ET
Christmas enthusiast and single mom Harper (Davis) has created a program, Six Degrees of Santa, in which anonymous "Santas" give a gift and set of instructions to be passed along, temporarily enjoyed, and re-gifted, indefinitely. Her goal is to create a Christmas experience that’s real-life, magical, and unexpected. When Harper's own gift lands in the hands of a leading internet entrepreneur, Jason (Lund), he’s convinced that the original Santa might be his soulmate. He seeks out Harper, as the architect of the program, to help him track down this mystery woman.
Sweet Navidad
Starring Camila Banus, Mark Hapka, David Fumero
Premiered Thursday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. ET
Lovable pastry chef Carmen (Banus) dreams of opening her own Puerto Rican-influenced bakery—like the one her family owned on the island. In the meantime, she showcases her treats at a local coffee shop. When hotel owner Victor Flores (Fumero) discovers Carmen’s talents, he invites her to apply for a position as pastry chef for his hotel’s holiday gala. Knowing other applicants will have culinary-school backgrounds, as opposed to her homegrown skills, Carmen reluctantly applies. When she is accepted, she’s paired with chef Jax (Hapka) to curate the perfect holiday menu. But the two do not mix well. Carmen is messy and cooks from the heart; Jax is a perfectionist fixated on technique. As they race against the clock to assemble their intricate holiday menu, sparks fly, and they realize they might have more to learn from one another than they initially thought.
Fun fact: Fumero is the husband of Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Melissa Fumero.
A Country Christmas Harmony
Starring Brooke Elliott, Brandon Quinn, Danny Pintauro
Premiered Friday, Nov. 18 at 8 p.m. ET
Before Chrissy Kessler's (Elliott) meteoric rise to fame, the country music superstar was just a small-town girl with dreams of the big time. Now, with her record sales on a rapid decline, Chrissy is strong-armed by an unrelenting record executive to return to the hometown she left behind to perform a live Christmas concert. Accompanying her on this journey is her longtime supportive assistant Eugene (Pintauro).
Luke Covington's (Quinn) quiet life is suddenly disrupted when he runs into Chrissy, his ex-girlfriend and former country music duo partner, who disappeared on him to pursue her solo career, all those years ago. After a tempestuous rainstorm forces the ex-sweethearts to seek shelter in Luke’s ranch home, the two realize that the only way they’ll survive the holidays is with the other one’s help.
Elliott and Quinn currently co-star in Sweet Magnolias on Netflix. Brooke Elliott also serves as an executive producer.
Santa Bootcamp
Starring Emily Kinney, Justin Gaston, and Rita Moreno
Premiered Saturday, Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. ET
When event planner, Emily Strauss (Kinney), is hired by mall magnate, Ed Mancini (Patrick Cassidy) to stage the ultimate Christmas Gala for his most important investors, Emily finds herself being sent to Santa Bootcamp o find the perfect Santa and inspiration she will need to make the evening a success. While there, Emily meets Belle (Moreno), the bootcamp’s drill sergeant with a heart of gold, who helps Emily rediscover the magic of Christmas and find romance along the way. Additional cast include Marissa Jaret Winokur, John Schuck, and deaf actors Deanne Bray and Zyra Singleton.
Related: 40 New Holiday Movies! Hallmark Channel's Complete Countdown to Christmas Schedule is Here!
A Show-Stopping Christmas
Starring Jamie Perez, Thomas McDonnell
Premiered Sunday, Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. ET
Riley Burdett (Perez) is the artistic director of the Onota Theatre in Western Massachusetts. When the Scrooge-like owner of the theatre breaks the news that she’s preparing to sell the property before the holiday performance, Riley must call upon the ghosts of the owner’s past, present, and future to change her mind. Meanwhile, a big TV star, Sam Palmer (McDonnell), has moved to the area to escape the craziness of Hollywood. Riley casts him as Bob Cratchit in A Christmas Carol and his star power, his cleverness, and his budding love for Riley helps her save the theatre…and steal her heart during this very special Christmastime.
Baking All the Way
Starring Cory Lee, Yannick Bisson
Premiered Thursday, Nov. 24 at 8 p.m. ET
Julia Wilson (Lee), an accomplished pastry chef from Chicago, heads to a small town bakery famous for their gingerbread to complete her Christmas cookbook. There she finds herself at odds with Kris Thompson (Bisson), the bakery's charming but private owner, who is ambivalent about sharing his secret recipe.
Steppin' Into the Holidays
Starring Jana Kramer, Mario Lopez, Cheri Oteri, Courtney Lopez, Mario Cantone
Premiered Friday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m. ET
Former Broadway star, Billy Holiday (Lopez) returns to his hometown for Christmas after being abruptly fired as the host-producer-judge of the hit TV series “Celebrity Dance Off.” While there, he encounters Rae (Kramer), the charismatic owner of the local dance studio, where Billy’s 12-year-old nephew is her standout student. This Christmas Rae is planning a dance recital fundraiser with the goal of taking her students to see a Broadway show in New York City.
Billy volunteers to help Rae with the recital by reviving the town’s traditional Christmas Eve show which was once a showcase for local talent. With Billy’s knack for producing and Rae’s knowledge of all things local, their collaboration clicks, and romantic sparks start flying!
Cheri Oteri stars as Dallas, Billy's high-powered, fast talking Hollywood agent and Mario Lopez's real-life wife, Courtney Lopez stars as Joanna, the charismatic host of “Celebrity Dance Off” who has just replaced Billy as executive producer and head judge.
The 12 Days of Christmas Eve
Starring Kelsey Grammer, Spencer Grammer
Premiered Saturday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET
Brian Conway (Kelsey Grammer) is a successful businessman whose relationships with those around him have really suffered. While this Christmas season has been the most successful for his business, he’s divorced, his relationship with his daughter Michelle (Spencer Grammer) is strained and he doesn’t have a meaningful connection with his only granddaughter.
After Brian gets into a car accident on Christmas Eve, Santa gives him twelve chances to re-do the day and repair the relationships in his life to find the true meaning of Christmas. For Brian, these twelve days are a journey of self-realization about life, love and happiness as he attempts to right the wrongs of his life in pursuit of the Christmas spirit.
A Christmas Spark
Starring Jane Seymour, Joe Lando
Premiered Sunday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET
Recently widowed Molly (Seymour) has lost her zest for life and given up on ever finding love again. But when she decides to visit her daughter for Christmas, she has no idea what holiday magic is in store for her. A former drama teacher, Molly reluctantly takes on the job of directing the town's Christmas pageant and soon finds herself falling for her leading man, Hank (Lando), the town's most eligible bachelor. As Molly and the irrepressible Hank fall in love, she rediscovers her inner free spirit and finds a new lease on life. And when the star of the pageant loses her voice moments before the show, it will be up to Molly to step into the spotlight and shine brightly for the first time in her life.
A Christmas Spark reunites Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman costars Jane Seymour and Joe Lando. Toni Braxton serves as an executive producer.
Serving Up the Holidays
Starring Britt Irvin, Zach Roerig
Premieres Thursday, Dec. 1 at 8 p.m. ET
Scarlett (Irvin) is an incredible chef and co-owner of an upscale restaurant. But every year, her too-sophisticated and unique holiday dishes never sell because they are not considered festive enough. To shake things up this year, her best friend and co-owner buys her a ticket to a holiday cooking getaway in a beautiful villa where Scarlett will re-learn festive cooking from the bottom up, maybe find love with a handsome rival chef from her past (Roerig), and regain the Christmas spirit her food—and her life—truly needs.
Cloudy with a Chance of Christmas
Starring Valery Ortiz, Brandon Quinn
Premieres Friday, Dec. 2 at 8 p.m. ET
Bridget Torres (Ortiz) is a prominent national news weather forecaster who comes to the magical, wintry town of Leavenworth, Washington, where Christmas traditions prevail each holiday season. This year, Bridget has been asked by her network to announce a special “snow-cast” at the annual Christmas Eve festival and has brought her boss Lisa along with her. Bridget’s plans to shine are foiled when a talk show host from her network arrives to join her for the broadcast. Drake Kincaid (Quinn), as it turns out, refused to hire Bridget as his co-host for their morning show a year earlier, making tensions high. The unlikely duo soon finds themselves falling for each other, but when Bridget finally discovers why Drake didn’t hire her, their romance is put to the test.
A New Orleans Noel
Starring Keshia Knight Pulliam, Brad James, Patti LaBelle, Tim Reid
Premieres Saturday, Dec. 3 at 8 p.m. ET
Grace Hill (Knight Pulliam) and Anthony Brown (James) could not be more different. Despite having gone to college to study architecture together, their lives took them on completely separate paths. However, when they’re both hired to work together on the home of Loretta Brown (LaBelle), a New Orleans praline icon —the two find themselves working together at Christmas...and butting heads over more than just architecture. When Anthony and his family discover that Grace will be celebrating Christmas alone, they invite her to take part in their traditions and their celebrations. Soon, fiercely independent Grace begins to learn the importance of family and community, while modern Anthony learns to embrace tradition and the magic of Christmas. But when Grace is offered a new job far away from New Orleans she’ll have to decide if she’ll leave, or follow her heart.
Tim Reid co-stars as Marcel, a handsome, retired friend who moves back to town after years away and catches the eye of Loretta.
Whoopi Goldberg and Pulliam will serve as executive producers.
Fun fact: Keshia Knight Pulliam and Brad James are a real life couple!
Merry Textmas
Starring Ariana Ron Pedrique, Rodrigo Massa
Premieres Sunday, Dec. 4 at 8 p.m. ET
Gaby Diaz (Pedrique) is an app developer from Austin and the last unmarried sibling in her very close and very traditional family. Every year, the Diaz family gathers at abuela's house in Oaxaca, Mexico, a town renowned for its "12 Challenges of Christmas," which playfully ignites the entire town's Christmas spirit. When Gaby accidentally adds Alex Alvarado (Massa), a handsome graphic designer who's lost touch with his own Mexican roots, to the family group chat, her well-meaning family decides to secretly invite him to join them in Oaxaca for Christmas. As they begin to play matchmaker for Gaby and Alex, can the Diaz family help Gaby and Alex recognize that each of them is actually the other's perfect Christmas present?
Scentsational Christmas
Starring Nanzeen Contrator, Mykee Selkin
Premieres Thursday, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. ET
Bright-eyed beauty and perfumer Ellie Reddy (Contractor) is tasked by her boss to create a holiday scent that will impress, so she decides to return to her quaint and festive family home for Christmas to find inspiration. There she meets handsome yet bookish writer, Logan Osborne (Selkin), who is staying with her father at the family’s historic property, which includes her mother's former candle-making cottage. After finding her father struggling to keep her late mother’s candle business afloat, Ellie and Logan decide to complete the orders and inadvertently bring Christmas cheer back to the town, all while falling in love.
A Recipe for Joy
Starring Erin Agostino, Dillon Casey
Premieres Friday, Dec. 9 at 8 p.m.
When ambitious food correspondent, Carly Hayes (Agostino), gets a shot at her own TV show, nothing goes as planned. She’s sent to Angel Heights to help Grant Quinn (Casey), a perfectionist, attention-shy chef, reopen his family’s beloved diner and film it as a holiday special pilot for her television show. Thanks to Carly, Grant will not only re-open his restaurant, but most probably his heart too.
Kirk Franklin's The Night Before Christmas
Starring Naturi Naughton, Lorea Turner, Kirk Franklin, Luke James
Premieres Saturday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. ET
While driving on Christmas Eve, estranged mother and daughter, Journee (Naughton) and Nia (Turner) are caught in a snowstorm that forces them to take refuge inside a church where parishioners are reeling from the cancellation of their annual holiday concert. The spirit of the season takes hold as Journee and Nia weather the wintry storm together with the other churchgoers, including Adam (James) a handsome youth pastor and a heavenly music teacher (Franklin), who motivate the mother and daughter to reconcile their differences through music, faith, and love. With the help from this unlikely yet spirited group of strangers, Journee and Nia then band together in the hope of helping the church salvage not only their holiday traditions, but also their showstopping Christmas day performance despite the raging storm outside.
Single and Ready to Jingle
Starring Natasha Wilson, Edward Ruttle
Premieres Sunday, Dec. 11 at 8 p.m. ET
Emma Warner (Wilson) feels like she lives Christmas year-round. As the SVP of a successful toy company in Chicago, she spends 12 months a year focusing on Christmas, leaving no time for dating...or much of anything else. By the time the actual holiday rolls around, she has had enough. She asks her assistant and friend Lucy to find a tropical singles resort – somewhere she can find a guy and not think of Christmas. But due to a booking mix-up, Emma ends up in her worst nightmare – a town devoted to everything Christmas. Will Emma be able to find her joy?
Record Breaking Christmas
Starring Michelle Argryis, Andrew Bushell
Premieres Thursday, Dec. 15 at 8 p.m. ET
Leah Hoffman (Argyis), an adjudicator for The World Record Bureau, draws the short straw and is forced to travel to a small town just before Christmas to investigate its plans to break multiple holiday world records. As she falls for the town's doctor, Devan Bancroft (Bushell), she discovers that the whole town is in cahoots, and she just may be the person who can help them reach their true Christmas goal.
A Christmas to Treasure
Starring Taylor Frey, Kyle Dean Massey
Premieres Friday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. ET
The passing of beloved Ms. Marley reunites six estranged friends for one final hometown holiday treasure hunt. As the search unfolds and fond childhood memories are relived, sparks fly between Austin Craig (Frey) and his former best friend Everett Matthews (Massey). The gang find the hidden treasure before the city has the chance to turn the Marley house into a holiday resort but the blossoming holiday romance between Austin and Everett may turn out to be the greatest Christmastime treasure of all.
Related: The Best Parts of Christmas Movies
The Holiday Dating Guide
Starring Maria Menounos, Kelly Lynn Reiter, Brent Bailey
Premieres Saturday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET
Dating coach and aspiring book author Abigale Slater (Menounos), is close to making her lifelong dream come true. She has completed her first book—a how-to guide for dating in today’s modern world—and is now more than ready to become a published author. However, after reading the book, her publisher won’t proceed with the deal without knowing that her dating advice actually works. Before he has a chance to say no, Abigale proposes that she prove the rules work by using them herself and making a man fall for her by Christmas Eve in 12 days. Although Abigale’s never seen love as a priority for herself, she sets out to find someone who will fall quickly enough to get this book in print. Things change when Abigale meets Michael Ryan (Bailey), and her single-minded mission takes an unexpected turn. While following her own advice, and learning to expect the unexpected in the process, Abigale discovers the romance of her dreams.
Wrapped Up in Love
Starring Brittany Bristow, Olivier Renaud
Premieres Sunday, Dec. 18 at 8 p.m. ET
Ashley Mackenzie (Bristow) has always been the preeminent "Christmas Queen" in town. From making hand-crafted decorations for the office to hosting the town’s annual Christmas sweater competition, she loves everything about the holiday...that is, until she meets her match in Ben Williams (Renaud). Ben is the devilishly handsome new guy in town who loves Christmas just as much as she does—and unwittingly begins to steal her thunder. But as Ashley begins to feel like Ben is taking Christmas away from her, she is reminded of the true spirit of the holiday, and she joins forces with him to make this Christmas even more meaningful.